People who live in NYC!!

[j'aime_le_theatre]

Posted: 11/8/07 at 10:35am

Hey, i'm doing a research project for my auditions class about living in NYC. I was wondering if anyone could give me some info on food in the city. Where are the best places to shop on a budget? Do Walmarts or Targets exist anywhere in the city? How much would you expect to spend in a month on groceries?
Also how about restaurants...what are the best cheap places? (And what constitutes as cheap in NYC) What are the best places to eat on a bigger budget?
Coffee shops? Where are the best places to go...and who will let you sit for hours if needed?
Any info will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/8/07 at 10:42am

I'll give you some quick info off the top of my head. You can sit in Starbucks for hours without even ordering anything. There is a Target on 225th Street. No Walmart yet.

[Mamamia Sammy2]

Posted: 11/8/07 at 10:50am

You don't live in New York

[Gothampc]

Posted: 11/8/07 at 11:07am

We have two Kmarts in Manhattan, there's a Target in Brooklyn which is easy to reach by subway. There is a Walmart on Long Island that is an easy commute by train and then a bus (but the fare getting out there can offset any savings).

It's difficult to say how much groceries cost because every person has different tastes and different food requirements. If a person wants to go rock bottom cheap, they can do all their shopping at Jacks 99 cent Store. It's not the best option, but it is the cheapest.

I still think one of the cheapest and best restaurant options is Dallas BBQ. They have several locations in the city (Chelsea, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, East Village) You can get a chicken dinner there for $6 (chicken, potato and cornbread).

IMO, cheap is anything under $10. There are a lot of smaller restaurants where you can find cheap food, you just have to look. For example, there is a Mexican place near me that sells tacos for $1 each and while not the finest taco I've ever had, they are decent.

Of course, depending on your eating level, the fast food places have low priced food (Wendy's 99cent chili for example). But their combos tend to run to $6.

Unfortunately, it used to be that coffee shops were a cheap option, but real estate prices have forced them to raise their prices and lower their quality. In all of those old New York movies, people sat in coffee shops but many have now become overpriced.

These days sitting for hours really only happens at Starbucks and Barnes & Noble.

Updated On: 11/8/07 at 11:07 AM

[j'aime_le_theatre]

Posted: 11/8/07 at 11:35am

thank you!

[yodamarie78]

Posted: 11/8/07 at 11:56am

To get a feel for the cost of groceries check out Fresh Direct. It's a little bit cheaper than my local grocery store, but close enough. Plus if you lived here it could be where you got your groceries anyway.
FreshDirect.com